Four Teams Remain Unbeaten as USSF D-2 Pro League Heads into Fourth Week

Week 3 Recap and Week 4 Preview of the 2010 USSF D-2 Pro League

Apr 26, 2010

Week 3 Recap Week 3 of the USSF D-2 Pro League finished on Sunday as only four teams remain unbeaten in league play. The Puerto Rico Islanders and NSC Minnesota Stars kicked off mid-week action on Wednesday with the island club earning a 3-1 victory at home. The Portland Timbers and AC St. Louis played the next day with Portland wining 3-0 at PGE Park. St. Louis completed the Pacific Northwest circuit by traveling up to Vancouver on Saturday but could not turn the results around falling 1-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Minnesota, however, was able to reverse its mid-week result against the Tampa Bay Rowdies winning 1-0 at home. Puerto Rico earned its second 3-1 victory against Crystal Palace Baltimore in Maryland to make it two wins in two games. Sunday’s action saw Montreal and Portland play to a 1-1 draw at the Impact’s home opener in Quebec and the Rochester Rhinos grind out a 2-1 win away to the Austin Aztex, who relinquished their 100 percent record. Week 3 Results

Only four teams remain unbeaten in league play with Vancouver, Portland and Puerto Rico all winning their games this week. Miami was idle.

Portland Timbers midfielder Ryan Pore tops the points table with nine after amassing four goals and an assist in his team's first three games.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC have taken control of the NASL Conference with seven points after three games played. Carolina, their closest rival, is on three points after playing two games.

The USL Conference remains knotted up as five of the six teams find each other within three points of each other. The only team not in that group, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, has only played two games.

Week 4 PreviewWeek 4 kicks off on Wednesday evening as the NSC Minnesota Stars face the Rochester Rhinos at 8 p.m. ET in Minneapolis. Thursday night, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET will highlight the week as the Pacific Northwest derby will take center stage when the Portland Timbers travel to British Columbia to take on Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Saturday will then feature five matches. The Montreal Impact will play host to the unbeaten Puerto Rico Islanders at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Rochester Rhinos will make their home debut against the Carolina RailHawks at 7 p.m., while Minnesota will be at home again against the Austin Aztex at 8 p.m. ET. The first Floridian derby of the year will take place at Lockhart Stadium at 7:30 p.m. when the Tampa Bay Rowdies take on Miami FC. At least on team will earn its first points of the season when AC St. Louis and Crystal Palace Baltimore cap off the weekend at 8:10 p.m.

Week 4 Schedule

Date

Match

Time (ET)

Venue

April 28

NSC Minnesota Stars vs. Rochester Rhinos

8 p.m.

National Sports Center; Blaine, Minn.

April 29

Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

10 p.m.

PGE Park; Portland, Ore.

May 1

Montreal Impact vs. Puerto Rico Islanders

2:30 p.m.

Stade Saputo; Montreal, Quebec

May 1

Rochester Rhinos vs. Carolina RailHawks

7 p.m.

Marina Auto Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.

May 1

NSC Minnesota Stars vs. Austin Aztex

8 p.m.

National Sports Center; Blaine, Minn.

May 1

AC St. Louis vs. Crystal Palace Baltimore

8:10 p.m.

Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park; St. Louis, Mo.

May 1

Miami FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

7:30 p.m.

Lockhart Stadium; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Week 4 Notes

Rochester will be making its home debut at Marina Auto Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. on May 1. They are currently on an even 1-1-1 record after opening the season with three consecutive away matches and will play a fourth away to Minnesota on Wednesday.

Crystal Palace Baltimore (0-2-0) and AC St. Louis (0-4-0) are the only teams in the league without a point but that will change as one of them will move off of the bottom of the NASL Conference when they play each other on Saturday.

Two regional rivalries will be contested when Portland travel up to Vancouver on Thursday and Tampa Bay make the short trip across the peninsula to take on Miami FC on Saturday.

Austin Aztex to Play Fundraiser against Haitian National Team: The Austin Aztex will play against the Haitian National Team on Wednesday, April 28, at 8:30 p.m. ET at House Park in Austin, Texas. The match will be free for all fans to attend though the Aztex ask that those in attendance make a donation to the Haiti Earthquake fund. Collections will be available at the stadium on the night of the match. All proceeds will go directly to the relief effort.